Tesla aims to restart Fremont plant on Friday

Tesla Inc is aiming to restart production in its United States car plant in Fremont, California, on Friday afternoon, according to an email sent by Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk to staff.

The move comes a day after California’s governor allowed manufacturers in the state to reopen operations closed due to coronavirus-led lockdowns. Tesla will reopen even though Alameda, the county where its Fremont factory is located, is scheduled to remain shut until the end of May.

Manufacturing operations in the county, including Tesla’s only US vehicle factory, are not allowed to operate regularly, according to the county order.

Musk has been criticising the lockdown and stay-at-home orders calling them a “serious risk” to US business, even tagging them “unconstitutional” and saying they would not hold up before the US Supreme Court if challenged.

Starting on Friday, limited operations will resume at the Fremont factory with 30 percent of normal headcount per shift, according to an internal company mail seen by Reuters.

“Our gigafactories in Nevada and New York have also begun limited operations as approved by their respective states,” the mail said.

However, Musk said employees who feel uncomfortable returning to work were not obligated to do so.

California’s order from Thursday does not supersede the county plan, Alameda Sheriff’s Office spokesman Ray Kelly told Reuters on Thursday.

The Fremont plant shut its operations in mid-March after lockdowns were imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected more than 3.8 million people globally.

Tesla did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.